Uncoupling mechanism.



R. L. ETTENGER. UNOOUPLING MECHANISM. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 2, 1912.

1,098, 9 Patented June 2, 1914,

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ROBERT L. ETTENGER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

UNOOUPLING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 2, 1914;.

Application filed. May 2, 1912. Serial No. 694,784.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT L. ETTENGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have in vented a certain new and useful Improvement in Uncoupling Mechanism, of WlllCll the following is a full, clear, and eXact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a top view of the preferred form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a. front view of the preferred form of my invention. Fig. 3 is a detail of the lifting arm.

My invention relates to uncoupling mechanism for railway cars.

The principal object of my invention is to produce an uncoupling mechanism composed of the fewest number and simplest form of parts possible.

A further object of my invention is to produce an uncoupling mechanism which will allow for all buifing movements, lateral movements, and vertical movements of the draw head.

A further object of my invention is to produce an uncoupling mechanism, all parts of which are attachedto the car.

A still further object of my invention is to produce an uncoupling mechanism which is capable of operation as closely as possible to the body of the car.

With these objects in view, my invention consists in the combination and disposal of parts illustrated in the drawings, in which, the numeral 1 designates the end sill of the car, 2 the draw head, and 3 the coupler pin operating in the draw head. A lifting link 4t which is formed with a depending arm 5 is positively attached to the car by means 6 such as will insure its being held on the car in case it is detached from the other members of the mechanism. The lifting link 4 has a laterally extending arm provided at its end wit-h an up-turned portion 7. The laterally extending arm is extended through the head of the coupling pin 3 and is so formed that it will move freely through the opening in the pin when the draw head is subjected to lateral movement. The pin is retained upon the lifting link by means of the up-turned portion 7. By suitable attaching means 8 which are preferably formed of wrought metal so as not to be broken, there is attached to the end sill an operating lever 9 which is provided at one end with a handle 10 disposed adjacent the side of the car. At its inner end, the operating lever 9 is provided with a lifting arm 11 extending laterally there from which arm is curved downward to receive upon said curved portion the laterally extending arm of the lifting link t, where it is retained by an tip-turned portion 12 of the lifting arm. By providing the lifting link t with the depending arm 5 which is attached to the car, it is possible to position the laterally extending arm of the lifting link close to the operating lever 9 without said operating lever being interfered with by the attaching means of the link. This is of particular advantage in numerous instances wherein it is advisable to substitute the intermediate lifting link 4 for a direct chain connection between the operating lever 9 and the pin. It has been found that the old form wherein three or four links of chain connect the operating lever 9 with the pin, that the links of chain frequently become tangled and the device rendered in-,

operative. Consequently, it has been found desirable to substitute the intermediate link for the chain, Applicants form of link permits the use of the form of operating lever 9 now commonly employed with the chain connection, as the lever can be changed to applicants form by cutting off its inner end and then bending it to form the lifting arm 11. The form of attachment for lifting link 41- illustrated permits said link being permanently attached to the car, the attachment being in a position wherein it will not interfere with the operation of the operating lever 9. Moreover, the forms of attachment illustrated permit a universal movement for the operating link i which permits of its operation by operating lever 9 without binding or undue friction at any of its bearing points, while at the same time permanent attachment of the link at prevents loss of the link. The attaching means (3 permits the lifting link 4 to swing to and from the car to accommodate bufling movement of the draw head, during which movement the lifting link travels upon the lifting arm 11 of the operating mechanism. The attaching means 6 is likewise of a nature such as to permit the lifting link 4t to swing vertically thereupon, whereby the vertical movements of the draw head are accommodated.

From the foregoing it is apparent that my device forms an efficient uncoupling mechanism composed of a minimum number of parts and that the parts are arranged to accommodate all movements of the draw head, and, in case of disconnection between any of the parts, to retain each part attached to the car. It is further obvious from the mechanism illustrated in'the drawings that my device will operate in a very small space at the end of the car, and that it does not require the use of any cast portion which would be liable to breakage from rough usage.

I claim:

An uncoupling mechanism comprising the combination of a rotary operating lever attached t0 the end of the car and provided with an outwardly extending upwardly curved lifting arm; a lifting link having a relatively short depending arm, and a relatively long laterally extending arm adapted to engage the lifting pin of a coupler; and a device for loosely pivotally connecting the lower end of the short depending arm to the car to permit said depending arm to swing laterally and transversely, thereby accommodating the lifting link to the arcuate movement of the lifting arm; the curved lifting arm cooperating with said lifting link for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this twenty-fifth day of April, 1912.

ROBERT L. ETTENGER.

\Vitnesses:

W. J. CALNAN, Z. H. THOMPSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

